Friday, August 12, 2011

There is something fresh and exciting on the arts scene in
Burlington that has arisen from the thriving programs at Burlington High
School. Former BHS students have taken their experience and love for music,
theatre and the visual arts, combined it with the momentum in our town to grow the town center into
a flourishing community space, and created Burlington Center
for the Arts.

Ovian, Parker and Cook collaborate on staging

T

he
inaugural event for Burlington Center for the Arts will take place on
Friday, August 19 with the production of Jason Robert Brown’s award winning musical drama, The Last Five Years, a remarkable work and favorite from contemporary musical theatre. The story follows an ambitious and
headstrong writer, and an aspiring but not so successful actress through their relationship in a
chronological/counter-chronological narration that offers a level of depth to
this painfully sad and, at times, hilariously silly, piece of award-winning
theatre.

The
two-person cast stars Zaven Ovian and Jamie Cook, both by-products of Burlington High School musical theatre productions. Cook graduated from BHS
in 2009 and is currently studying at Hofstra University in New York. Ovian will be entering
his senior year at Burlington High School with his sights set on New York City. Both actors have a number of impressive credits and possess a charismatic stage presence.

The directing team features Brad Jensen (BHS 2008) and Kevin Parker (BHS 2010).

Burlington
Center for the Arts is a non-profit organization dedicated to the development
of arts in Burlington. Educating youth in the arts is a primary aim of the
organization with a long-term goal to create and maintain a venue for
educational arts groups, regional theatre companies and dance troupes, and local
artists to rehearse, perform, or showcase their skills.

The
performance of The Last Five Years will
take place at the UCC Congregational Education Building at 6 Lexington Street
in Burlington at 7:30 pm. A silent auction will also take place during the evening's event including items from The Huntington Theatre and Beacon Grille.